Macià Batle Col·lecció Privada 2018

Col·lecció Privada is the top red from Macià Batle, a family winery founded in 1856 in the Binissalem area of Mallorca. The blend joins the island's native Manto Negro to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah, pairing local identity with the structure and dark fruit of the international varieties. Mallorca's Mediterranean climate brings warm, sunny ripening tempered by sea air, which builds ripe fruit and full body while the island's limestone-rich soils hold freshness and lend a savoury, herbal edge. After fermentation the wine is aged in oak, where slow oxygen ingress through the barrel softens the tannins of the Cabernet and Syrah and adds vanilla, cedar and a fine toast, while malolactic conversion settles the palate. The colour is deep and dark. The nose is ripe and Mediterranean, with blackberry and plum over garrigue herbs, black pepper, liquorice and oak spice. The palate is full bodied and structured, the dark fruit carried by firm, ripe tannins and a warming finish. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees, decanting younger bottles. It is built for roast and grilled lamb, beef and the island's robust slow-cooked dishes.